How much is Dolphins cornerback Brent Grimes worth?

Jim Rassol / MCT

After a stellar 2013 season, the Dolphins rewarded Grimes with a four-year, $32 million contract in 2014. Grimes, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, was an undrafted player from Shippensburg University in 2006.

After a stellar 2013 season, the Dolphins rewarded Grimes with a four-year, $32 million contract in 2014. Grimes, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, was an undrafted player from Shippensburg University in 2006. (Jim Rassol / MCT)

The first time I saw Brent Grimes he was shooting hoops at Dave & Busters at a Miami Dolphins charity event, and my first thought was "this is the guy everyone expects to be the defense's savior in the secondary?"

The Dolphins had just began the offseason workout program, and players were privately raving about how magnificent Grimes looked, and how athletic he seemed. But the cornerback was the same size as me (one of us is an half inch taller than the other, but I'm not sure who has who).

I was initially VERY skeptical, but Grimes' very first practice won me over. He shut down Mike Wallace, and did it with ease. He'd do that just about every day. In fact, that would be Grimes' routine all season, no matter whom he was facing in the NFL because his technique is sensational.

That explains why Grimes is one of 26 players, and two cornerbacks named to the 2013 USA Football All-Fundamentals Team, which recognizes players who exhibit exemplary football techniques for young players to emulate.

Grimes and Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman were the two cornerbacks selected by a panel of former NFL executives, coaches and players. This is Grimes' second time being recognized as the NFL's most fundamentally sound player at his position. He also made the All-Fundamental team in 2011 while a member of the Falcons.

Grimes, who was selected to his second Pro Bowl for his performance last season, which featured him not allowing a touchdown to a receiver, is expected to become a free agent this offseason.

He's expressed a desire to re-sign with the Dolphins, but his representatives are waiting for the next Dolphins general manager to make this 30-year-old a multi-year offer. It is also possible the Dolphins will use the franchise tag on Grimes, guaranteeing him a one-year deal worth roughly $10.9 million to ensuring his return in 2014.

Despite his escalating age, Grimes' skill set will likely made him one of the NFL's top free agents this offseason because shutdown cornerbacks are hard to find.

Tampa Bay cornerback Darrelle Revis, who is 28, set the cornerback market this past offseason when he landed a six-year, $96 million extension despite coming off an ACL injury.

Revis’ pay and salary-cap figure are the same in every year through 2018. In each season he has a base salary of $13 million. In each year, he also has a roster bonus of $1.5 million and a workout bonus of $1.5 million.

In all honesty, Revis might have one of the most bloated contracts in the NFL, so using it as a barometer isn't fair to the Dolphins.

However, it should be pointed out that the 10 highest paid cornerbacks in the NFL all make more than $8 million a season.

Last year Ravens cornerback Ladarius Webb signed a six-year, $50 mllion extension that pays him $8.33 million a season, and included a $10 million signing bonus. However, Webb is significantly younger (28) than Grimes, which makes a six-year deal reasonable.

Even though few players ever reach the conclusion of their contracts, a 30-year-old signing a six-year contract seems far fetched considering Grimes will be 37 by the time a six-year deal is concluded considering he turns 31 in July.

Carlos Rodgers was the last 30-year-old cornerback who signed a respectable deal, getting four-years, $29.3 million from the 49ers in 2012. His deal averages $7.3 million, and featured a $5 million signing bonus, and $10.65 million in guaranteed money.

Considering the Dolphins gave strong safety Reshad Jones a four-year, $29.3 million extension, which included $15 million in guaranteed money, it is reasonable to use that Dawn Aponte deal as the framework for Grimes.

This will likely be one of the more complicated negotiations in Dolphins history because Grimes' agent, CAA's Ben Dogra, has a reputation for targeting record-setting deals.

Problem Dogra and Grimes will have is the free agent cornerback market was tremendously flat last season. Many of the top free agents were forced to sign one or two year deals. There are a few other top end free agent cornerbacks (Sam Shields, Aqib Talib, Tarell Brown, Vontae Davis, Alterraun Verner) available this offseason, so teams that need immediate help have some options. Also, 15 cornerbacks are presently projected as day one or two selections (first three rounds) in the 2014 draft. Draftees might be green, but they are younger and cheaper, which is the trend in today's NFL.

All of those variables could drive down Grimes final price, slightly. The safety net the Dolphins have is the franchise tag, but threatening its use virtually guarantees that Miami will have to pay Grimes more than $11 million in guaranteed money on any longterm deal, and using it would significantly handcuff the Dolphins' spending this offseason because the team presently has $29 million in salary cap space, and the tag would reduce it to about $18 million.

No matter how you slice it Grimes will be handsomely rewarded for his performance in 2013. The biggest question is how handsomely, and by which team?

That's a dance the Dolphins next GM and Aponte will tango with in the coming weeks.